The use of cleaning and polishing agents as oral care agents is commonly known.
US 2004/0042976 (Silber) deals with an abrasive component as a cleaning agent in a semi-solid or liquid cleaning product having an abrasive action containing platelet-shaped particles such as glass flakes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,304 (Baffelli) describes a water-free prophylactic paste containing at least 40 wt.-% of perlite.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,707 B1 (Peterson) refers to an oral prophylaxis paste containing a pre-selected grade and amount of abrasive material such as pumice clay or diatomaceous earth, moistened with water.
WO 2004/084851 A2 (Rochat) discloses a dental treatment composition comprising a particulate erasing agent having particles which are dimensions to roll along a surface. The composition contains at least 3% water and the particulate erasing agent comprises a precipitate or agglomerate of an insoluble alkali metal carbonate.
US 2002/0098156 A1 (Milliron) deal with a prophylaxis paste containing Roxite particles (zirconium-oxide based polishing powder).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,596 describes an anhydrous toothpaste or dental cream composition comprising inter alia 6 to 90% by total weight of one or more hydrogenated vegetable oils, 0.02 to 25% by total weight of one or more flavouring oils or extracts, 0.1 to 60% by total weight of glycerine and 10 to 90% by total weight of one or more inorganic salts selected from sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulphate and sodium chloride.
None of the above outlined procedure is fully satisfying to the practitioner.
Thus, there is still room for improvement especially with regard to the requirements to be fulfilled with respect to modern dental materials and cleaning or polishing agents or compositions.
Ideally, a composition is desired, that is low abrasive and can be used for cleaning and/or polishing surfaces including the surface of hard dental tissue (e.g. natural teeth), the surface of dental filling materials, dentures or orthodontic appliances.